February 21, 2008

Heavy rains in July and August 2007 caused flooding and adversely affected communities throughout the northern sections of the West Africa country of Burkina Faso, with numerous villages experiencing serious agricultural losses. Hundreds of families feel the effects of damaged farm fields, loss of crops and cattle. Among the communities affected are those of Oula in Yatenga province, with some 45,000 inhabitants, and Tèma, with some 39,000 inhabitants.

Contributing to the problems are extremes of a long dry season of 8-9 months and a short rainy season of 3-4 months. The variability of rains and the short rainy season have caused a cycle in which heavy rains are eroding land that is parched for most of the year.

RESPONSE: Church World Service is responding by supporting two partners in Burkina Faso: the Green Cross Burkina Faso (GCBF) and the Association pour la Paix et la Solidarité (The Association for Peace and Solidarity, or ONG-D/APS) both based in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, and who are partnering to respond jointly to this disaster.

Specifically, the partners are supporting the affected communities (approximately 600 families) in an agricultural assistance program that includes the provision of 4 tons of fertilizers and 400 kilograms of seeds, which will help produce 360 tons of cereal grains. As well, the GCBF is planning to operate a temporary health center for four months that will focus on health needs and supplementary feeding of children. The program also includes the construction of homes for 13 families, or some 118 people.

Contributions to support this emergency appeal may be made online, sent to your denomination, or to Church World Service, P.O. Box 968, Elkhart, IN, 46515. Please designate: BURKINA FASO FLOODS RECOVERY (#642-A).

Media Contact: Lesley Crosson, CWS/New York, 212-870-2676; lcrosson@churchworldservice.org Jan Dragin, 781-925-1526; jdragin@gis.net